College and Career Planning
11th and 12th Graders are highly encouraged to meet with College Admissions Reps when they visit TSA
The goal of college and career advising is to provide students with the time, support, and diverse opportunities to explore and implement post-secondary plans. TSA’s college and career advising program is unique from other high schools in that learning about a variety of post- secondary options is part of the weekly curriculum for juniors and seniors.
For a majority of students, this will result in applying to college during their senior year of high school. While some students may not take this path, they will be armed with the skills and information to make informed choices when they are ready.
Click on a topic below to read about how TSA supports students in this process:
Admissions Reps Visits
New schools are signing up to hold virtual information sessions for TSA every day. These visits are a great opportunity to get to know different schools as well as demonstrate interest in those schools. All juniors and seniors to sign up and take advantage of these opportunities. Students can see and register for upcoming visits in Naviance. Visits are scheduled so that do not conflict with classes during the school day. Parents, please encourage your student to attend!
College Fall Open Houses:
Many schools offer in-person, on-campus Fall Open Houses. These are great opportunities to soak up the feel of a school and take an in-depth look at life on campus. Review this spreadsheet of several schools that may be popular with TSA students. If a date is listed in the Open House column, that school offers such a program for prospective students. All seniors and juniors are encouraged to attend at least one Fall Open House. Students should choose a school or two they’re really interested in and make plans to visit on one of these weekends.
Seminar
Seminar is a weekly class during one semester of students’ Junior and Senior years. Seminar walks each student through the post-secondary planning process and includes
- attending a college fair
- registering for a standardized test
- interview skills
- access to Naviance, an online resource for student post-secondary research, planning, and organization.
- understanding the pros and cons of different post-secondary programs including:
- Gap years
- volunteer programs
- different types of colleges,
- military service
- work
- exposure to the Common Application
- writing a resume
- requesting recommendation letters
- college essay support
- the financial aid process
- and much more.
TSA prepares students for a variety of post-secondary options by paying for every 10th and 11th grader to take the PSAT at school during the school day.
We are proud of all our TSA graduates, all of whom pursue exciting post-graduate activities. Click here to learn more about our graduates.
TSA students attending the October 2018 Women Can Do Conference
Students who are unsure about attending college may consider other valuable opportunities:
- Americorps works at the state and national level, providing a wide range of opportunities to serve other Americans while receiving a living allowance and health care. Upon completion of the program, participants become eligible for an educational award. Learn more at: nationalservice.gov/programs
- The Job Corps is a great way for students ages 16 through 24 to get FREE career technical training and hands-on experience in their chosen field. For more information, call (800) 733-JOBS or visit recruiting.jobcorps.gov. This career training is available through The Vermont center, in Vergennes. Learn more at: northlands.jobcorps.gov.
Advisory
Janice Stumpf’s Advisory carves pumpkins.
One of the ways TSA gets to know and value students is in Advisories. Students are assigned to peer groups their freshman year, led by a faculty advisor. The groups meet twice per week to help each student to discover and reflect upon their strengths, weaknesses and interests and how these may be applied to create a fulfilling life. Advisory lays the groundwork for post-secondary planning.
College and Career Advising
TSA Juniors and Seniors visit SNHU in 2018 for a tour and College Fair.
The Sharon Academy expects each of our students to pursue post-secondary training at some time after high school graduation — whether it is college, university, tech/trade school, or other training. Throughout their time at TSA, students are offered guidance in exploring options for life after high school with ample opportunity for reflection on their individual paths. Students work closely with their peers through grade-level seminars, advisory, career exploration field trips, college visits to TSA, and college fair field trips. Every student is encouraged to schedule frequent individual appointments with the Director of College and Career Advising, particularly as they begin the college application process.
In 9th grade, students begin the post-secondary process during their regular classes and by working on their personalized learning plans in advisory. Students gain executive function skills, identify their strengths and weaknesses, develop self-advocacy skills and learn how to work with others. All of these skills are key to the post-secondary planning process.
All tenth graders are offered the opportunity to take the PSAT on a designated fall date on campus at TSA. 10th graders are also given guidance on course selection and extracurricular opportunities as they relate to their post-secondary plans. While the PSAT is optional for 10th graders, it is required for all 11th graders.
Students are introduced to Naviance – the online guidance software we employ to help students and families plan for life after high school – in the fall of their 11th-grade year. Naviance helps families apply what students do in the classroom to their life goals, including finding colleges and careers based on their personal skills and areas of interest. All parents will have access to Naviance and will be taught how to use it as part of college advising events held at the school. The Director of College and Career Advising organizes one information session in the spring for parents of 9th and 10th graders.
Students begin more formal exploration of specific colleges in the fall of their junior year. The Director of College and Career Advising guides students through registering and attending fall open houses on individual campuses as well as large regional college fairs held virtually or on nearby college campuses. The Director of College and Career Advising also coordinates with many college Admissions Representatives to set up information sessions specifically for TSA students, right on the TSA campus. 11th and 12th graders are strongly encouraged to attend as many of these visits as possible so that they may meet directly with admissions officers and begin the process of honing in on schools and paths that are right for them.
Starting in the spring semester of their junior year, students meet once a week in a College Seminar led by the Director of College and Career Advising. Junior Seminar focuses on the exploration of various post-secondary options and allows students to begin to focus on a path that fits their goals. During junior year, we recommend that students take some initiative in the post-secondary process by visiting some colleges in the fall and spring while also taking a standardized test in the spring. Parents can assist their students by helping with the logistics of organizing college visits and registering for a standardized test. The Director of College and Career Advising holds an annual spring information night for juniors and their parents in Februrary.
By the time a student begins their senior year, they are expected to have taken at least a few college visits, completed a rough draft or outline of their personal statement, and recorded a list of colleges they’re interested in through their Naviance account. During the first semester, seniors once again attend a weekly seminar wherein the Director of College and Career Advising assists them in all aspects of post-secondary planning. For most students this includes support with the college application process or preparing for a gap year. Students will complete college applications, write college essays, request letters of recommendation, strategize which colleges to apply to, as well as obtain basic information and support with financial aid. Additionally, Senior Seminar supports students who are interested in going directly into the world of work by helping with interview skills, resume writing, cover letter writing, and financial planning.
The Director of College and Career Advising hosts a fall Senior Parent Night each fall. This information session is designed to guide parents through the post-secondary process and convey ways to support their students in surviving and thriving. Parents are encouraged to attend with their students. In addition, a financial aid information evening is offered by the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) either at TSA or a neighboring high school.
Throughout high school, the Director of College and Career Advising coordinates a series of career field trips. In the past this has included visits to Hypertherm, Women Can Do, and Art Portfolio Workshops. Students of all grades are encouraged to participate.
For further information, please contact our Director of College and Career Advising Wendy Bordeau, at wbordeau@sharonacademy.net or call (802) 763-2500 x116.